The present invention comprehends a lightweight, portable tool for performing various types of maintenance on the endless steel tracks of machinery and equipment, with an especial emphasis on maintenance for the endless steel tracks of equipment commonly referred to as skid loaders. Such maintenance includes the installation, removal and tightening of the steel tracks with the tool of the present invention adapted to perform such functions in a fast, easy, timesaving manner.
The tool of the present invention comprehends a first tubular member having a bore and a handle end and an opposite distal second end. Mounted at the handle end is an external handle that is capable of both pivotal and rotatable (clockwise and counterclockwise) motion. Disposed within the first tubular member at the handle end is a thrust bearing and extending from the thrust bearing within the bore is a threaded rod. The threaded rod includes right-handed threads. The threaded rod extends substantially the length of the bore and is interconnected to the handle so that rotation of the handle (in either aforementioned direction) results in the concomitant rotation of the threaded rod.
Disposed partially within the first tubular member is a second tubular member. The second tubular member is capable of telescopic retraction and advancement relative to the first tubular member. The second tubular member also includes a second bore coextensive therewith and an inner end that is always encompassed within the bore of the first tubular member irrespective of the amount of advancement of the second tubular member during the use of the tool. Fixedly mounted at the inner end of the second tubular member is a nut, and the threaded rod engages and extends through the nut so that at all times a portion of the length of the threaded rod is located within the second bore of the second tubular member.
Each tubular member includes a track bar hook and the track bar hooks are generally l-shaped and project inwardly toward each other and are located on the bottom of the tool. The track bar hooks are secured to the cross bars of two adjacent and successive track sections. Thus, clockwise rotation of the handle rotates the threaded rod against the nut and causes the second tubular member to withdraw or retract within the first tubular member while counter clockwise rotation of the handle causes the counter clockwise rotation of the threaded rod against the nut and results in the linear advancement of the second tubular member relative to the first tubular member. Generally, after the hooks are hooked about opposite cross bars of adjacent track sections, clockwise rotation of the handle tightens the tension on the connecting bolts for the links that hold the adjacent track sections together while counter clockwise rotation of the handle slackens the tension on the connecting bolts for the links that hold the adjacent track sections together.
It is an objective of the present invention to provide a tool for performing maintenance on endless steel tracks and which facilitates the fast and easy installation, removal and tightening of the tracks on the equipment.
It is another objective of the present invention to provide a tool for performing maintenance on endless steel tracks that greatly reduces the time and effort required for the installation, removal and tightening of the endless tracks.
It is yet another objective of the present invention to provide a tool for performing maintenance on endless steel tracks that contractors, construction companies, and landscapers would find useful and desirable.
It is still yet another objective of the present invention to provide a tool for performing maintenance on endless steel tracks that easily and quickly attaches to successive track sections of the track for decreasing the tension on adjacent track sections to facilitate the installation and removal of the endless tracks.
Yet another objective of the present invention is to provide a tool for performing maintenance on endless steel tracks wherein less time and effort is required for maintenance because of the capability of the tool to take up or release tension in increments that can be as small as 0.001 (increments measured in thousandths of an inch).
Yet still another objective of the present invention is to provide a tool for performing maintenance on the endless steel tracks wherein the retraction and extension of the tool with respect to adjacent track sections of the track is in minute (thousandths of an inch) increments thereby making alignment of the bolt holes in the adjacent track sections easy and effortless.
These and other objects, features and advantages will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon a perusal of the following detailed description read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing figures and appended claims.